# US 5,348,035 A · Harness assembly for a crutch user

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- Number: US 5,348,035 A
- Document ID: US5348035A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/048,278
- Filed: 1993-04-14
- Granted: 1994-09-20
- Earliest claimed: 1993-04-14
- Assignees: John S. Fisher
- Inventors: Jerry Porter
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5348035A

## CPC

- A61H 3/02: Crutches
- A61H 2003/007: {secured to the patient, e.g. with belts}
- A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N)

## Abstract

A crutch harness assembly including a belt element adapted to be secured around a waist of the user, two loop-like strap elements connected to the belt element and each adapted to surround and engage a respective upper leg portion, and a strap means connected to each of the loop-like strap elements and adapted for engaging a corresponding crutch adjacent the upper end of said crutch.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A crutch harness system adapted to engage the waist, and upper leg portion and gluteal fold of each leg of a harness user for supporting at least a portion of the harness user's body weight to reduce forces applied to the hands and underarm areas, and comprising:
a pair of crutches wherein each crutch comprises an upper end and a lower end;
a belt element adapted to be secured around the waist of the harness user;
two or more loop-like strap elements cooperatively connected to said belt element and each being adapted to surround and engage the upper leg portion of a corresponding leg of the harness user so that the upper leg portion of each leg of the harness user has one or more loop-like strap elements positioned therearound; and
strap means cooperatively connected to each of said loop-like strap elements and each of said strap means engaging a corresponding one of said pair of crutches adjacent the upper end of said crutch and for transmitting at least a portion of the body weight to said loop-like strap elements so as to reduce the force applied to said pair of crutches by the hands and underarm areas of the harness user.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A crutch assembly according to claim 1 wherein said belt element includes a buckle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A crutch assembly according to claim 1 wherein each of said loop-like strap elements includes a buckle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A crutch assembly according to claim 1 including a pad on each of said loop-like strap elements positioned so that said pads each nest under the gluteal fold of the upper portion of a corresponding leg of the harness user.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A crutch assembly according to claim 1 wherein each of said strap means includes a buckle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A crutch assembly according to claim 1 wherein said crutch harness system includes a pair of suspender straps cooperatively connected to said belt element.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A crutch assembly according to claim 6 wherein said suspender straps are each adapted for adjustment to a selected length.

### Claim 8

A crutch harness system adapted to engage the waist, and upper leg portion and gluteal fold of each leg of a harness user for supporting at least a portion of the harness user's body weight to reduce forces applied to the hands and underarm areas, and comprising:
a pair of crutches wherein each crutch comprises an upper end and a lower end;
a belt element adapted to be secured around the waist of the harness user;
two loop-like strap elements cooperatively connected to said belt element and each being adapted to surround and engage the upper leg portion of a corresponding leg of the harness user so that the upper leg portion of each leg of the harness user has one or more loop-like strap elements positioned therearound said strap elements each including a pad positioned thereon so that said pads each nest under the gluteal fold of a corresponding upper leg portion;
strap means cooperatively connected to each of said loop-like strap elements and each of said strap means engaging a corresponding one of said pair of crutches adjacent the upper end of said crutch and for transmitting at least a portion of the body weight to said loop-like strap elements so as to reduce the force applied to said pair of crutches by the hands and underarm areas of the harness user; and
a pair of suspender straps operatively connected to said belt element.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A crutch assembly according to claim 8 wherein said belt element includes a buckle.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

A crutch assembly according to claim 8 wherein each of said loop-like strap elements includes a buckle.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

A crutch assembly according to claim 8 wherein each of said strap means includes a buckle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

A crutch assembly according to claim 8 wherein said suspender straps are each adapted for adjustment to a selected length.